Golf tee



May 31, .1927;

G. N. BOLINGER GOLF TEE Filed Oct. 15, 1925 Zlwumtoz GALBOL/NGEFF Patented May 31,1927.

incense GEORGE NOEL BOLINGEB, F SHELBYVIIILE, ILLINOIS.

GOLF TEE.

Application filed October 15, 1926. Serial No. 141,842.

This invention relates to golf tees, and more particularly to a tee formed of a single piece of material such as wire or the like.

An important object of the invention'is to provide an inexpensive tee preferably formed of wire and provided at its upper end with a ball supporting ring andat its lower end with a shank adapted for insertion in the ground. p

A further object is to providea novel form of tee formed of a single piece of wire bent at its upper end toprovide a ball supportingring, one end of the ring being formed integral with the shank and shaped in a novel manner to form supporting means for the free end of the ring.

A further object is to provide a tee of the character referred to wherein the shank is arranged in alinement with the center of the ring and connected thereto by a substantially radial arm upon which the free end of the ring is adapted to be supported.

A further object is to provide a wire tee having a shank ortion provided intermediate its ends with a laterally offset portion to limit the movement of the shank into the ground to properly position the ball su porting ring the desired distance above t e ground. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be a parent during the course of the following escription.

In the drawings I have shown several embodiments of the invention. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device shown in operative position, Figure 2 is a plan view, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of device, and t Figure 4 is a central vertical sectional view of the same.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 10 designates one form of tee" as a whole prefer ablyformed of a single piece of relatively stiff wire or the like. The tee is provided at its upper end with a portion bent in substantially circular form to provide a ball supporting ring 11, and it Wlll be apparent thata ball 12 is adapted to be arranged on this ring. One end of the ring is connected to an integral inwardly extending arm 13 which is inclined downwardly at a slight angle toward its inner end. As clearly shown in Figure 1, the outer end of the arm 13 curves upwardly to join the ring as at 14 for a purpose to be described. The free end of the ring is bent downwardly slightly as at 15 and is inserted between the arm 13 Y and the adjacent portion of the opposite end of the ring whereby the free end of the ring 2 will be supported by thearm 13. As shown in Figure 2, the end portion of the ring which connects with the arm 13 is substantially tangential to the circle defined by the ring in order that the free end of the ring may lie in a portion of the true circle instead i of being extended inwardly, The arm 13v is connected with an integral shank 17 which is arranged vertically when in operative po- In Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, I have shown asomewhat modified form of tee,

wherein the ring portion and associated elements are substantially identical with the its ends to form a laterally offset portion 1 9 which is adapted to engage the surface'of the ground to limit the movement of the teewhen the shank is inserted in the ground as will be apparent. The portlons' of the shank 18 on opposite sides of the ofis'et. ortion 19 are arranged in alinement wit each other.

The operation of the device will. be apparent from the foregoing description. In the manufacture of the device, the free end of.

sition and which is coaxial with the ring 11.

the ring is arranged between the arm 13 and the adjacent portion of the opposite end of the ring whereby. the free end of the ring will be substantially rigidly supported. This arrangement preserves the circular form of the ring whereby the ball 12 is adaptedto be supported on the ring in a stable manner. The device may be arranged in an operative position merely by exerting a downward force on the ring to drive the shaft 17 into the ground, the ring 11 being arranged at any desired height above the ground according to the. individual tastes of the'playe rs.

The operation ofthe form of the device shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawin s is the same as in the form previously descri d.

In the modified form however, I provide the offset portion 19 whereby the movement of the shank into the ground is limited-to fix the height of the rin 11 above the surface of the ground. It wi 1 be apparent that the device may be cheaply manufactured and is easy and convenient to use. It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown and described are to'be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. I claim:

.1. A device of the character described comprising a tee formed of a single piece of wire, said wire being bent at one end to form a substantially circular ball supporting ring, a shank arranged beneath said ring, an arm connected at-its-outer end to one end of said ring and its inner end to the upper end of said shank, the portion of said r ng adjacent its point of connection with said arm being. i

arranged substantially tan'ential to the circle defined by said ring, t e outer end of arranged in said 100p and supported on said arm;

2. A device of the character described comprising a tee formed of a single piece of wire and including a ball supporting ring at its upper end, a vertical shank arran ed below said ring and coaxial therewit said shank being provided intermediate its ends with a laterally offset portion, the ortions of said shank on opposite sides of said ofl'set portion being arranged in alinement with each other.-

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

I GEORGE NOEL BOLINGER. 

